Ithaca: The exquisite, gripping tale that breathes life into ancient myth (The Songs of Penelope)

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In the east, a king rolls restlessly in the arms of Calypso, who hushes him and says, it is just a dream, my love. Everything beyond these shores is just a dream. This is t he story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. Beyond Ithaca’s shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women – and their goddesses – that will change the course of the world. But no one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus’ empty throne – not yet. Between Penelope’s many suitors, a cold war of dubious alliances and hidden knives reigns, as everyone waits for the balance of power to tip one way or another. If Penelope chooses one from amongst them, it will plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war. Only through cunning and her spy network of maids can she maintain the delicate balance of power needed for the kingdom to survive.

Wow. Just wow. As a huge fan of Claire North's writing, I had no doubt that I would enjoy Ithaca. But the sheer brilliance of this retelling exceeded my wildest dreams. The story is intimate, emotional, and full of drama. My one main complaint about this book was that the narration by Hera was sometimes very annoying and the writing bothered me at times. I really struggled with how to rate this, as the writing sometimes felt very subpar, but I enjoyed the story quite a lot despite it. Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the furies circle him. His uncle Menelaus, the blood-soaked king of Sparta, hungers for Orestes' throne—and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims. This is a feminist retelling of ancient Greek mythos. While there are quite a few such retellings were published in recent years, I liked it more than others, quite possibly because I enjoyed other novels by the author. I don't want to say too much about the plot, because seeing what North chooses to focus on was surprising for me, but the problem of the suitors looms large, and is explored in a way that feels completely unique to me. And having Hera, frustrated and overlooked and put-upon Hera, be the way into this story ends up feeling extremely inspired. Definitely recommend, and I'm so glad there are going to be two more books in this series.No one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus's empty throne - not yet. But as everyone waits for the balance of power to tip, Penelope knows that any choice she makes could plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war . . . Like The Penelopiad (which I haven't read yet, but will be reading soon for one of my IRL book clubs), Ithaca tells the story of Penelope left behind by Odysseus in the twenty years he is gone, first fighting at Troy, and then making his way home. And North doesn't just play it straight, either. Here as we enter the story, it's been eighteen years since Odysseus left for Troy, taking all of the eligible fighting men of Ithaca with him, and we hear about the passing events from the POV of Hera, wife of Zeus, god of marriage and women. Hera, being a god, can not only tell us what's going on in Ithaca and in her surroundings, but what is happening to Odysseus at the same time (she wryly gives us updates, most of which center on her sarcastic descriptions of him being so tortured about being sexily held prisoner on Ogygia with Calypso).

I who have nothing to lose that the poets have not already taken from me, only I will tell you the truth. I, who part the veil of time, will tell those stories that only the women tell. So follow me to the western isles, to the halls of Odysseus, and listen." Thanks so much to NetGalley, Claire North and Redhook Books for this ARC. Ithaca will be out September 6th, 2022 ** The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (as Claire North) nominated for the BSFA Award for Best Novel Did I mention this is part of a series? Because I didn’t realize that for some reason until I reached the end. I might know where the story is going, but I still want the next book immediately. Alas, The House of Odysseus is at sea until May of 2023.

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Claire North's words are needles, and each one is directed at some tender part of the patriarchy in this pointedly feminist revision of The Odyssey. Although Margaret Atwood was on to something when she titled hers The Penelopiad, because Odysseus is hardly present in this one at all... and he is not missed. No one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus' empty throne-not yet. But as everyone waits for the balance of power to tip, Penelope knows that any choice she makes could plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war. In fact, it is because of the pacing that so many people have admitted to giving up on the book a third of the way through; those readers that slogged through the first half of the book will tell you t hat things become quite awesome in the second half of the story. Once upon a time, there were three queens in Greece. One was chaste and pure, one a temptress whore, one a murderous hag.”